New Treaty Aims to Curb Organ Trafficking

International agreement identifies and criminalizes activities that constitute organ trafficking

Representatives from the Council of Europe, the European Union and other nations will meet in Spain early next year to sign an international treaty to enact legislation that would consistently and harshly punish those who participate in organ trafficking. This action comes as organ trafficking for financial gain continues to attract international attention, including a recent article in the New York Times.[1]

The new agreement, the Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Organs, was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers last July after several years of committee work. The compact is a comprehensive binding agreement that stipulates specific offenses and sanctions, including loss of liberty, extradition, the cessation of commercial activity and confiscation of proceeds. Additionally, the convention includes provisions for protection of victims and witnesses...